Portable bowling-alley



(No Model.)

S. HOYT. PORTABLE BOWLING ALLEY.

Patented Feb. 23,` 1892.

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v. x L l x A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SHERMAN I-IOYT, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

PORTABLE BOWLI NG-ALLEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,249, dated February 23, 1892.

Application led December 2, 1891. Serial No. 413,754. (No model.)

To all whom it may concer-n:

Be it known that I, SHERMAN HOYT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Bowling- Alleys, oi' which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to portable games, which may be used in an ordinary dwelling without especial room or arrangement thereof; and it consists of a portable bowling-alley, which is made of size convenient and may be placed upon an ordinary table and used by one or more persons, and when not in use may be removed and stowed away, like any other piece of furniture, as herein described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section of the bowling-alley, showing the pins in position and a ball ready to be propelled to throw them into the pit. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bowling-alley. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same.

My bowling-alley consists of a bed-plate a, of hardwood or other suitable material, being cut out near its end to form a pit and at both sides at d2 to form the usual gutters. To the sides and the end, respectively, ot' this bedplate a are glued or otherwise irmly secured the side plates b and the end plate b', and each of these is preferably provided with a spiritlevel l, mounted exactly parallel with the upper surface of the bed-plate a. ln front of the pit 29 are the usual spots for the ten-pins, marked or inlaid into the bed-plate ct, and the pins p and balls r are preferably made in the proportionsused in ordinary bowling-alleys. At the end of the alley is mounted a swinging recoil-board d, provided in front with suitable cushions and suspended above from pins or hinges 7i, mounted in the side boards b l). The entire apparatus is supported by three screwlegs s, which, in combination with the spiritlevel Z, will allow an exact horizontal adjust- Inent of the portable bowling-alley upon an ordinary table, this adjustment being essential inthis case for accurate work, (the ordinary iioor and table-top being seldom level enough to insure good play.) The bed-plate o. may also be hollowed out on top and filled with cement or other suitable material capable 'ot' carrying a level surface which is not liable to warp or bend, and any other number of pins may be employed.

In using the portable bowling-alley it is iirst adjusted upon the top of a parlor or dining table by the aid of the screw-legs s and spiritlevels Z till the bed-plate is rendered perfectly horizontal. The pins having been set in position, a ball is placed upon the front end of the alley-bed near its middle and then actuated by a player by preferably snapping at it and striking it with a finger, I do not coniine myself to this especial mode of propelling the ball, but any other suitable tool or mechanical device may be employed for'this purpose.

In cheaper grades of my toy the spirit-levels may be omitted, as a level plane can be established by the aid of the screw-legs without the spirit-levels after short experience with the balls.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- V l. In a portable bowling-alley, the combination of the bed-plate o, provided with troughs a2, pit p, and adjustable screw-legs s and having attached to it the side boards l) h and end boardb, carrying spirit-levels l,with the swinging recoil-board and the pins and balls, as and for the purposes herein shown and described.

2. In a portable bowling-alley, the combination of the bed-plate u., having attached to it the side boards Zi b and end board b', and the screw-legs s, with a swinging recoil-board d, as and for the purposes herein shown and set forth.

3. In a portable bowling-alley, the combination of the bed-plate a, having secured to it the side boards h b and end board l2', with the swinging recoil-board el, as herein shown and described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this the 1st dayv Witnesses:

JOHN KING., p ADRIAN H. BooLE. 

